President Vladimir Putin arrived in Berlin on 9 February at the
beginning of a European tour to consult with the leaders of France and
Germany to find a "peaceful solution" to the Iraq crisis, ORT and RTR
reported. Putin, who was officially in Berlin to launch the "Year of
Russian Culture in Germany," said after meeting with German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder that "the positions of Russia, France, and Germany
practically coincide" on the Iraq issue, Russian and Western news
agencies reported. "We are convinced that efforts for a peaceful
resolution of the situation regarding Iraq should be persistently
continued," he added. "Our foreign ministers and UN representatives are
coordinating their actions. China also has such a position," he said.
VY

Without naming the United States, Putin said in Berlin on 9 February,
"We are convinced that unilateral use of force will only lead to the
suffering of millions of people and an escalation of tension throughout
the region," international media reported. In a 9 February interview
with France 3 television, Putin said unilateral U.S. military action
against Iraq could cause a "split in the UN Security Council and the
antiterrorism coalition," RIA-Novosti reported. "This could lead to the
breakup of Iraq with difficult-to-predict consequences for its
neighbors." He reaffirmed the need to solve the current Iraq crisis
through peaceful, political, and diplomatic methods, relying on the
work of the UN inspectors. VY/VC

President Putin on 9 February dismissed a question on whether a joint
Russian-German-French position could effectively counter the United
States in global affairs. "I do not want to incite anti-Americanism in
connection with the Iraq situation," Germany's ntv television quoted
him as saying. He said the same day that a split between Europe and the
United States "would be a bad option for world development -- bad for
the United States and for Europe," izvestiya.ru reported. In his 9
February interview with France 3 television, Putin said: "Practically
all leaders of the countries that are permanent members of the UN
Security Council, including [U.S. President George W.] Bush, have told
me they believe the Iraq problem can be solved peacefully. And [Bush]
does not want a war." RTR commented on 9 February that despite his
differences with the United States on the Iraq issue, Putin is being
careful not to harm the country's still-fragile partnership with the
United States or the expanded international role Russia gained from its
participation in the antiterrorism coalition. VY

There is "nothing in the United Nations Charter that would allow the UN
Security Council to take a decision to change the political regime in
one or another country -- whether we like this regime or not," Putin
declared in his 9 February interview with France 3 television,
RIA-Novosti reported. However, he stressed that Russia supports the
United States in its desire to see the removal of weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq. "Only one task is facing the international
community: to make sure that Iraq does not have weapons of mass
destruction or to find them and force Iraq to destroy them. And in this
connection, we share the position with our American partners that we
must do everything possible so that Iraq cooperates completely with the
UN inspectors," Putin said. VC

President Putin was expected to arrive in France on 10 February for a
three-day official visit, international media reported. The main issue
on the agenda is the current situation in Iraq and a possible
diplomatic coalition between Russia, Germany, and France. In his 9
February interview with France 3 television, Putin reaffirmed that
Russia and France believe the future architecture of international
security should be based on a "multipolar world." Putin acknowledged
that the two countries have often disagreed on how to achieve this
goal, notably during the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, but
reaffirmed Russia's willingness to work collectively. "I think that the
world is developing in a way that means we have a great number of
dangers and a common threat. We need to pool our efforts -- and not to
divide countries -- to counteract these threats," Putin said. VC

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on the sidelines of the 39th
International Conference on Defense and Security in Munich on 9
February that Russia might back a reported Franco-German plan that is
intended as an alternative to a possible U.S.-led military campaign
against Iraq, RTR and ORT reported. According to this initiative, the
United Nations would send several thousand peacekeepers to Iraq, the
number of international inspectors would be tripled, and Baghdad would
allow international reconnaissance aircraft to be used over all of
Iraq's territory. Ivanov said that if the UN Security Council approves
the plan, Russia would be prepared to send reconnaissance planes,
observers, and experts to Iraq. VY

Foundation for Effective Politics head Gleb Pavlovskii commented in
"Russkii zhurnal" on 6 February that Russia should not exhibit
compassion for the Iraqi regime. He said Iraq in the 20th century --
using support from the Soviet Union, the United States, and Europe --
unleashed aggressive campaigns in the region. Pavlovskii wrote that by
invading Kuwait in 1990, Iraq dealt the first blow to the world order
that had existed since World War II and gave the United States the
opportunity to form and lead a coalition of countries from the East,
West, and "south." While Russia discovered in the early 1990s that
there was no role for Russia in the "new world order," Pavlovskii
argued, that situation changed following the 11 September 2001
terrorist attacks on the United States. Pavlovskii noted that Russia is
a member of the international antiterrorism coalition, which he said
could help Russia regain its political standing in the future world
order. VY

Sergei Karaganov, chairman of the Council for Defense and Foreign
Policy, wrote in the 10 February "Nezavisimaya gazeta" that Russia
should look out for its own interests regarding Iraq. He said that
while much of Europe differs with the United States on the crisis,
Russia has no great differences with the U.S. position. He said the
negative economic impact Russia stands to suffer from a war in Iraq is
exaggerated. In addition, Karaganov said Russia cannot tolerate
allowing states near its borders to possess weapons of mass
destruction, adding that Iraq does possess some types of
bacteriological weapons. He said Russia should think about its
long-term strategy regarding a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, and start to
bargain with United States before a war begins. VY

Putin claimed in his 9 February interview with France 3 television that
Russia has practically succeeded in quashing attempts by "international
extremist Islamic forces" to separate the North Caucasus from Russia
and establish an Islamic state on that territory, Russian news agencies
reported. He said the upcoming referendum on a new draft Chechen
constitution and election legislation will mark the first step toward a
political settlement of the Chechen conflict under which Chechnya will
have "broad autonomy" within the Russian Federation. LF

Defense Minister Ivanov told the International Conference on Defense
and Security in Munich on 8 February that "the whole of Georgia has
turned into a haven for terrorists," and that nationals of over 40
states, including Georgia and Azerbaijan, are funneling aid to the
Chechen resistance, an RFE/RL correspondent in Munich reported. Ivanov
further claimed that Chechen gangsters operating in Georgia have taken
control of some Georgian cargo companies and use them to transport
arms, drugs, and gunmen to Chechnya, Caucasus Press reported. He added
that during the Moscow hostage crisis in October 2002, the hostage
takers held telephone conversations with accomplices in Georgia,
Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Ivanov also claimed that a base
for manufacturing toxins, including ricin, exists in Georgia's Pankisi
Gorge, and that the terrorism suspects arrested last month in London
and France underwent training in Pankisi. He said there is "irrefutable
evidence" that Chechen militants remain in Georgia. LF

Ivanov told journalists in Munich on 9 February that Moscow has no
intention of using military force against "terrorists" located on
Georgian territory, ITAR-TASS reported. Responding to Ivanov's
allegations, Georgian National Security Council Secretary Tedo
Djaparidze said on the sidelines of the defense and security conference
in Munich on 9 February that Georgia has "largely succeeded" in
eliminating the terrorist infrastructure and criminal armed groups in
the Pankisi Gorge, an RFE/RL correspondent in Munich reported.
Djaparidze admitted that "we still have to destroy some criminals...and
the operation is still in progress," but nonetheless insisted that
"Pankisi represents no problem for Georgia any more and no threat to
the international community," Caucasus Press reported. In Tbilisi,
Georgian State Border Department Chairman Lieutenant General Valeri
Chkheidze denied on 8 February Ivanov's claims that Chechen militants
are taking control of Georgian transportation companies, Caucasus Press
reported. Georgian Interior Troops commander Giorgi Shervashidze said
in Tbilisi the same day that there could be up to 50 "criminals" still
in Pankisi but that they are not Chechens, Caucasus Press reported.
Shervashidze added that all "terrorist leaders" left the region during
the operation last fall to restore order in Pankisi. LF

Ivanov also said in Munich on 9 February that Moscow will never agree
to negotiations with Chechen President Aaslan Maskhadov, whom he
described as "a terrorist, just like [field commander Shamil] Basaev or
international terrorist Abu al-Walid," Russian news agencies reported.
At the same time, Ivanov said Moscow "has never rejected the
possibility" of embarking on the process of seeking a political
settlement to the Chechen conflict. LF

Defense Minister Ivanov and NATO Secretary-General Lord George
Robertson inked an agreement in Munich on 8 February regarding joint
sea-rescue cooperation, Interfax and other Russian news agencies
reported. Both sides agreed to standardize search-and-rescue
procedures, make equipment compatible, and to cooperate in exchanging
information and the training of personnel. Ivanov said the August 2000
sinking of the "Kursk" nuclear submarine led to the idea of the
agreement on sea-rescue cooperation. VY

Russian President Putin met with his Moldovan counterpart Vladimir
Voronin in Moscow on 7 February to discuss bilateral economic and
political relations, ITAR-TASS and Moldovan news agencies reported.
Putin said he and Voronin agreed that negotiations on settling the
Transdniester conflict must continue with the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Russia, and Ukraine serving as
mediators. He also said Russia wants the Transdniester to be granted
special status, while Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity
must be strictly respected. Putin also said Russian investors should
participate in the privatization process in Moldova. Voronin told
journalists after the talks that the nature of relations between the
two countries is one of a "long-term strategic partnership." He also
said Moldova has no plans to join NATO, as its constitution defines it
as a neutral state, but that the country will strive to achieve EU
integration. "In April I will go to Brussels. The sooner we begin this
work, the better the results will be," he said. Voronin also insisted
that the "backbone" of future CIS efforts must be geared at
establishing an economic free-trade zone among its members. He said
Moldova insists on the immediate evacuation from or the on-the-spot
destruction of the obsolete Russian arsenal in the Transdniester,
because it poses a danger to the population. Voronin also said he hopes
that the Russian language will be granted official status in Moldova in
2003. MS

A fight broke out in the State Duma on 7 February when Communist Deputy
Vasilii Shandybin threw a punch at independent Deputy Aleksandr
Fedulov, TVS reported. Shandybin was reportedly defending the honor of
Communist Party leader Gennadii Zyuganov, whom Fedulov called a
"political prostitute" during the session. Fedulov made the comment
while defending Vladimir Zhirinovskii, deputy speaker and head of the
Liberal Democratic Party, whose use of "colorful language" in reference
to U.S. President Bush (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 4 and 6 February 2003)
is being examined by the Duma's Ethics Committee. Fedulov, who has
proposed legislation banning the Communist Party (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 5 February 2003), had contrasted Zyuganov's conduct
unfavorably to Zhirinovskii's. Ethics Committee Chairwoman Galina
Strelchenko said the committee will study a transcript of the 7
February proceedings at its next hearing and will evaluate not only
Zhirinovskii's conduct but also that of Fedulov and Shandybin. JAC

Despite the scuffle, deputies managed to pass some legislation on 7
February. They approved the last of four bills intended to reform
Russia's railway system. All four bills were passed by the Duma last
year, but the fourth, "on the peculiarities of administering and
distributing railway-transport property," was subsequently rejected by
the Federation Council and submitted to a conciliation commission,
polit.ru reported. The new version was supported by 284 deputies, while
70 voted against and no one abstained, ITAR-TASS reported. The same
day, deputies approved a revised version of a bill on currency
regulation that had been rejected by Federation Council, Interfax
reported. Under the bill, the law on currency regulation would be
amended to allow Russian citizens to carry up to $3,000 in foreign
currency out of the country without possessing supporting documents.
The amount was $10,000 in the original version passed by the Duma.
Another bill that would amend the law on the organization of the
insurance industry was passed in its first reading on 7 February with
the support of 361 deputies, RosBalt reported. The proposed amendments
are intended to clarify the procedure for licensing insurance companies
in Russia. JAC

TVS Editor in Chief Yevgenii Kiselev has suggested that popular NTV
host Leonid Parfenov work at his channel -- a suggestion Parfenov has
called very "realistic," Ekho Moskvy reported on 8 February. However,
Parfenov said he has also received offers from other channels and it is
"too early to say anything." Parfenov announced last week that he
considers working conditions at NTV "impossible" and is pulling his
program off the air for at least three months (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 7
February 2003). "Kommersant-Daily" reported on 8 February that both TVS
Information Broadcasting Director Grigorii Krichevskii and NTV Editor
in Chief Tatyana Mitkova have been offered the position of deputy
general director of NTV and have both rejected it. RFE/RL's Moscow
bureau reported that Gazprom officials are denying they made
Krichevskii an offer; however, eyewitnesses claim they saw Grichevskii
having coffee with the new leadership of NTV. Kiselev, Krichevskii,
Parfenov, and Mitkova all worked at NTV before Gazprom installed new
management in April 2001 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 17 April 2001). JAC

The Liberal Russia party has called on other "democratic" parties to
form a single party list for December's State Duma elections, RFE/RL's
Moscow bureau reported on 8 February. Liberal Russia co-Chairman Sergei
Yushenkov suggested that parties that want to join the union submit
lists to which the names of 20 persons who are not in any party would
be added. Then the voters, after looking through the lists on the
Internet and in newspapers, would select the persons who would appear
on the final joint list. According to the bureau, the nonparty persons
who would be added to the list are former World Chess Champion Garry
Kasparov, television hosts Svetlana Sorokina and Yevgenii Kiselev, and
writers Vasilii Aksenov and Vladimir Voinovich. According to the
bureau, Novgorod Governor and Democratic Party of Russia leader Mikhail
Prusak has already expressed his support for Liberal Russia's
suggestion, which he said will be discussed at the Congress of
Democratic Forces on 22 March. JAC

Deputies in the Supreme Council of the Republic of Khakasia on 5
February finished gathering signatures to an appeal to the presidium of
the republican parliament about introducing changes to the republican
constitution that would allow the head of the government to serve more
than two consecutive terms, "Kommersant-Daily" reported on 6 February.
If the amendment is adopted, current republican President Aleksei Lebed
would be allowed to seek a third term in December 2004. Under current
federal legislation, his first term is considered to have begun in 1999
(when the relevant legislation came into force), and he is allowed to
seek an additional term only if doing so would not violate regional
legislation. Irina Smolina, a spokeswoman for the republican
government, denied that it played any role in the deputies' initiative,
saying it was "their personal matter." However, Lebed himself revealed
last year during one of his Internet conferences with voters that his
deputy, Vasilii Tsyganok, was personally organizing the collection of
signatures. JAC

[20] COSSACKS TAKE ANOTHER CRACK AT CREATING THEIR OWN POLITICAL PARTY

Approximately 300 delegates from almost 50 regions of Russia met in
Samara recently to declare their interest in creating an all-Russia
patriotic party called Cossacks of Russia, "Vremya MN" reported on 6
February. The last attempt to create such a party occurred last year,
but the Justice Ministry subsequently returned the party's founding
documents and party charter on the grounds that they were legally
flawed. Boris Gusev, ataman for the Volga Cossack formation, said a
party is necessary to defend the Cossacks' interests within the
government, particularly since the State Duma has yet to pass a bill on
the Cossacks (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 28 June 2000). According to the
daily, the Kremlin is planning to disband its administration for
Cossack affairs. JAC

A bus stolen from a German tour group on an excursion to see the Brest
Fortress in Belarus was later used in Sochi to escort presidents of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) during the August 2001 CIS
summit in Sochi, TVS reported on 7 February. The stolen bus was
reportedly sold for $200,000 through a company registered in Voronezh
in the name of a retired woman who apparently did not have any idea she
was a company owner. The bus was then purchased by railway management
in Sochi, a popular resort city in Krasnodar Krai. TVS reported that
law enforcement officials estimate there are at least dozens -- if not
hundreds -- of stolen buses in Russia. According to the station, the
bus was a "deluxe" Man air-conditioned luxury coach, and the CIS
presidents were thus spared from the humid August weather during the
summit. JAC

Russian Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov met behind closed
doors in Kislovodsk on 8 February with his counterparts from the three
South Caucasus states -- Armen Khachatrian (Armenia), Murtuz Alesqerov
(Azerbaijan), and Nino Burdjanadze (Georgia), Turan and Caucasus Press
reported. No details of the talks were made public. "Kommersant-Daily"
on 8 February quoted Mironov's Press Secretary Lyudmila Fomicheva as
saying that the rationale for such meetings, of which this is the third
within 12 months, is to provide an opportunity for the representatives
of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and of Russia and Georgia, to discuss
sensitive issues face to face. LF

Former Prime Minister Aram Sargsian announced in a televised speech on
8 February that he is withdrawing his candidacy in the 19 February
presidential election in favor of People's Party of Armenia (HZhK)
Chairman Stepan Demirchian, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. Sargsian
appealed to his supporters and members of his opposition Hanrapetutiun
party to campaign on behalf of Demirchian, whom opinion polls place
second of the remaining nine candidates after incumbent President
Robert Kocharian. Sargsian said his decision is tantamount to the
creation of a new electoral alliance between Hanrapetutiun and the HZhK
and a bid to revive the now-defunct Miasnutiun bloc that won a majority
in the 1999 parliamentary elections. That bloc was jointly led by
Demirchian's father and predecessor as HZhK chairman, Karen, and by
Sargsian's brother and predecessor as premier, Vazgen Sargsian. Both
men were among the eight victims of the October 1999 parliament
shootings. LF

[24] AZERBAIJANI OFFICIAL VOWS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL BE
DEMOCRATIC...

Speaking at a press conference in Baku on 7 February, Azerbaijani
presidential-administration department head Novruz Mamedov pledged that
the presidential elections due this fall will be "more democratic,
free, and transparent than ever before," Interfax reported. But in an
allusion to Azerbaijani opposition parties' refusal to attend
OSCE-sponsored talks on the new draft election legislation, Mamedov
acknowledged that there are "certain difficulties" in achieving that
goal (see "RFE/RL Caucasus Report," 10 and 27 January 2003). LF

Mamedov also said Iraq should comply with all UN Security Council
resolutions and disarm, and that any military operation against that
country must be conducted in full compliance with international law,
Interfax and Turan reported. He stressed Azerbaijan's "support for the
U.S. in international issues," including the international
antiterrorism campaign. Mamedov acknowledged that "all countries
throughout the world are in favor of preserving Iraq's territorial
integrity," and warned that developments in that country should not
impact on Iraq's neighbors, by which he presumably meant Turkey in the
first instance. LF

[26] FORMER AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT STILL PLANS TO CONTEST UPCOMING
ELECTION

Former Azerbaijani President Ayaz Mutalibov, who has lived in Moscow
since his failed attempt to regain the presidency in May 1992, will
return to Baku to contest this fall's presidential elections, Civil
Unity Party secretary Sabur Gadjiev told Caucasus Press on 8 February.
Mutalibov first announced that he would run for president in December
2000, shortly after the Civil Unity Party elected him as its chairman
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," 27 December 2000). LF

Georgian and Russian government officials failed during talks in Moscow
on 6-8 February to reach agreement on the terms for extending the
mandate of the Russian peacekeeping force deployed under the CIS aegis
in the Abkhaz conflict zone, Caucasus Press reported on 8 February,
citing the Georgian Foreign Ministry. That mandate expired on 31
December, and the Georgian National Security Council on 26 January set
specific conditions for prolonging it (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 27
January 2003). Interfax on 8 February quoted Russian Foreign Ministry
spokesman Aleksandr Yakovenko as saying that the Georgian side
"expressed interest" in having the mandate prolonged. On 30 January,
the UN Security Council set a deadline of 15 February for Russia and
Georgia to reach agreement over the mandate. If they fail to do so, the
unarmed UN observers in Abkhazia -- who rely for security on the
Russian peacekeeping force -- might be withdrawn. Georgian President
Eduard Shevardnadze said on 10 February during his regular Monday radio
interview that the talks will be resumed, but did not specify where or
when, Caucasus Press reported. LF

Georgian President Shevardnadze issued a statement on 7 February
expressing "open support" for the U.S. position on military action
against Iraq, a position he termed historically just, ITAR-TASS
reported. Shevardnadze said that any regime that manufactures weapons
of mass destruction, whether nuclear, chemical, or bacteriological,
should be punished. LF

Georgian military officials met with their Baltic counterparts on 9
February on the sidelines of the 39th International Conference on
Defense and Security in Munich to discuss how Georgia could profit from
the Balts' experience in adapting their armed forces to NATO standards,
Caucasus Press reported on 10 February, quoting Georgian National
Security Council Secretary Tedo Djaparidze. Djaparidze also said he
believes Georgia will join NATO in 2006 despite Russian opposition,
Caucasus Press reported on 10 February. LF

Journalists attending a nationwide congress in Turkestan expressed
concern on 7 February at the implications of the new draft law on the
media, khabar.kz reported on 7 February. They argued that it cannot
protect journalists' interests unless corresponding changes are also
made to the Criminal, Civil, and Administrative codes.
Inter-News-Kazakhstan Director Oleg Katsiev argued that the new law
will only serve to strengthen the power of government ministries.
Congress participants decided to form a working group that will draft
an alternative new law. LF

The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) wrote on 7
February to Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev listing what it termed serious
irregularities during the 2 February referendum on draft constitutional
amendments, and called on the Kyrgyz government to investigate reported
violations in an open and transparent manner, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service
reported. The IHF pointed to efforts to prevent Kyrgyz nongovernmental
organizations from monitoring the ballot; major discrepancies between
the number of voters counted by unofficial observers and the official
figures; coercion of voters by local officials; and university students
being ordered to vote in favor of the draft amendments. LF

Also on 7 February, the Assembly of Peoples of Kyrgyzstan and 35 other
Kyrgyz NGOs released a statement criticizing as lacking objectivity the
negative assessment of the referendum vote issued on 4 February by the
Washington-based National Democratic Institute (NDI), akipress.org and
RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 6 February
2003). The 7 February statement accused the NDI of "unethical behavior"
and of "interfering" in the referendum process by providing financial
support for independent observers from the "For Democracy and Civil
Society" coalition. It further accused the NDI of attempting to split
Kyrgyz society, and claimed that the NDI assessment did not cite a
single specific incident to substantiate its allegations, akipress.org
reported. LF

The opposition Ar-Namys Party was forced on 9 February to leave the
offices it leased in Bishkek, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported. Party
member Emil Aliev explained that all visitors to the office were filmed
by the National Security Service and subsequently summoned for
questioning. The party's next move is still unclear. LF

Rupert Christiansen, who headed an International Monetary Fund (IMF)
delegation that visited Dushanbe on 29 January-7 February, noted at a
press conference in Dushanbe on 7 February that in 2002 Tajikistan
succeeded in reducing its foreign debt from $1.16 billion, or 98
percent of GDP, to $985 million, or 88 percent of GDP, Asia Plus-Blitz
reported. He also noted that GDP grew by 9 percent in 2002 but
expressed concern that the annual inflation rate has risen to 14-15
percent. ITAR-TASS on 8 February quoted Christiansen as advising the
Tajik government not to proceed with the privatization of either the
country's main aluminum plant or its main energy company. The aluminum
plant last year produced 307,600 tons of aluminum, almost all of which
was exported, accounting for 54 percent of the country's total exports.
The energy company exported $66.2 million worth of electricity last
year. LF

Tajik State Border Guard Committee head Nuralisho Nazarov told Interfax
on 8 February that the Afghan government "fully controls" its territory
adjacent to the border with Tajikistan and that there are no longer any
Al-Qaeda or Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan militants in the regions in
question. He said Tajik and Russian border guards are closely
monitoring the situation on the Tajik-Afghan border. LF

The cabinet endorsed on 7 February a program of measures aimed at
strengthening the role of mahallas (local communities) in both local
administration and economic life, uza.uz and uzreport.com reported. The
program provides for strengthening the legal, financial, and
organizational underpinning for such communities as a component of
civil society; creating 160,000 new jobs, primarily in the service and
trade sectors; increasing assistance to impoverished families and the
elderly; and improving medical facilities and recreational
opportunities for children. President Islam Karimov designated 2003 the
"Year of the Mahallas" two months ago (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 10
December 2002). LF

The chairwoman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Working Group on
Belarus said in Minsk on 7 February that there are "no sufficient
grounds" for allowing the National Assembly to represent Belarus in the
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Belapan reported. Uta Zapf made the
comment at a news conference at the end of a three-day visit along with
Urban Ahlin of Sweden and Lord Ponsonby of the United Kingdom. Zapf
stressed that Belarusian authorities have failed to made any progress
on the OSCE's four requirements for democratizing life in the country:
improving election laws, enhancing the functions of parliament,
respecting media freedom, and ending harassment of opposition figures.
In a statement on its visit, the OSCE delegation welcomed the
restoration of the OSCE presence in Belarus and the appointment of
Ambassador Eberhard Heyken as head of the OSCE office in Minsk. Belapan
reported that Heyken arrived in Minsk on 9 February. JM

President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said on 7 February that the government
should dramatically change its role in the agricultural sector,
Belarusian Television reported. Speaking at a government conference in
Homel, he said, "I categorically forbid you to impose [agricultural
policies].... There must be no tough administration despite our strict
and authoritarian system of government." Lukashenka insisted that
Belarus is going to integrate into the world economy and seeks to join
the World Trade Organization. "The world has changed. I am ready to
defend you somehow, protect, erect barriers, and so on, but this is not
efficient. This does not depend on me anymore. That is why we should
adapt ourselves to what is going on," Lukashenka said. He also said the
country's agricultural reform might even envisage the introduction of
private ownership of land in the future, but he added that "our
population is not yet ripe for it." JM

Javier Solana, secretary-general of the EU Council and high
representative for the common foreign and security policy, urged
Ukraine to enact judicial reform, guarantee the freedom of independent
media, and improve relations between the government and the opposition
on the country's path toward the EU, Interfax reported on 7 February.
Solana was briefing journalists following a Ukraine-EU Troika meeting
in Kyiv the same day. JM

[40] OPPOSITION LEADER CALLS ON WEST TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MEDIA IN
UKRAINE

The West should support independent Ukrainian media because protecting
freedom of expression is among that country's most serious issues,
Interfax quoted Our Ukraine leader Viktor Yushchenko as saying to
journalists in Washington on 8 February. According to Yushchenko,
Ukrainian authorities "keep the electronic media on a short leash" by
their approach to distributing licenses. "This is why the electronic
media are most dependent among the Ukrainian media on the authorities,"
Yushchenko said. JM

Satellite-radio channel Ukrayina-svit (World Ukraine) will be
inaugurated in March, UNIAN reported on 10 February, quoting State
Committee for Broadcasting head Ivan Chyzh. The channel is to broadcast
five hours a day -- primarily to Eurasia and, in the future, to North
America. "[The channel will make it possible] for Ukraine to speak in
its own language to the world, while bypassing interpretations by
competitors," Czyzh said, adding that the government has allocated 8
million hryvnyas ($1.5 million) to develop the channel. JM

Center Party public-relations chief Evelyn Sepp released a statement on
8 February to ward off suggestions ahead of the 2 March elections that
the party is attempting to boost the status of the Russian language at
the expense of Estonian, BNS reported. "The official language in
Estonia is Estonian; it is and will remain the official and only state
language. For its protection and development, the teaching of the
native language in Estonian schools must be substantially increased,"
the statement said. She pushed for raising the quality of instruction
in Estonian, in general, and at preschool institutions and schools, in
particular, to improve the integration of Estonian residents who are
not ethnic Estonians and to create the prerequisites for a smooth
transfer to Estonian-language high-school education. The statement
seemingly was prompted by the recent proposal of a bill by two
Russian-speaking Center Party lawmakers, Mikhail Stalnukhin and
Vladimir Velman, to clarify the legal status of the cultural autonomy
of ethnic minorities. SG

Juris Lujans released a statement on 6 February saying he has lost
confidence in Karlis Mikelsons, who is chairman and president of
state-owned power utility Latvenergo, LETA reported the next day.
Lujans criticized spending decisions at the company and said Mikelsons
has insufficiently advanced national interests. He questioned
Latvenergo's having spent 12 million lats ($19 million) on a marketing
campaign in 2002 when it is a monopoly provider. The minister faulted
Mikelsons for allegedly not informing him about the salaries of board
members, who he said also have lucrative golden parachutes included in
their contracts. Lujans turned up in person at a Mikelsons press
conference the following day to repeat those criticisms. SG

In addition to his meeting with EU officials in Brussels on 6 February
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," 7 February 2003), Arturas Paulauskas held talks
with Belgian Senate Deputy Chairman Sabine de Bethun and House of
Representatives Chairman Herman de Croo, BNS reported on 7 February.
The talks primarily focused on the prompt ratification of Lithuania's
accession treaties with the European Union and NATO this year or in
spring of 2004. Paulauskas also met with the parliamentary chairman of
Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia, Francoise Schepmans, and
talked about the need to ratify the cooperation agreement signed in
October between Lithuania and Wallonia (see "Baltic States Report," 16
October 2002). SG

The U.S. State Department on 7 February said the U.S. interests section
in Baghdad, which has been run by Polish diplomats since the 1991 Gulf
War, has been closed, Reuters reported. "Conditions throughout Iraq
remain unsettled and dangerous," the U.S. State Department commented on
the decision. "Foreigners present in Iraq have in the past been used as
'human shields' by the regime during periods of confrontation with the
international community. There are credible reports that foreigners may
face the risk of kidnapping." Polish Ambassador to Iraq Andrzej Biera
last week was summoned from Baghdad for what the Polish Foreign
Ministry termed "long consultations" (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 4 February
2003). JM

"Gazeta Wyborcza" Editor in Chief Adam Michnik on 8 February was
questioned by a special parliamentary commission about an alleged
attempt by film producer Lew Rywin to solicit a $17.5 million bribe
from the media group Agora -- the publisher of "Gazeta Wyborcza" -- on
behalf of Prime Minister Leszek Miller (see "RFE/RL Poland, Belarus,
and Ukraine Report," 14 January 2003), PAP reported. Michnik reportedly
told the commission he does not remember whether he was asked by Miller
to hush the case up or whether he informed President Aleksander
Kwasniewski about the case before it was publicized on 27 December. On
8 February, Michnik was interrogated about the same case, dubbed
"Rywingate" in Polish media, by prosecutors. "I don't understand why
this case continues so long. More and more often I come to the
conclusion that Lew Rywin has mighty defenders and protectors who are
doing everything to drown this case," Michnik commented. Rywin, who was
charged last month with bribery, has refused to testify to prosecutors.
JM

The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw has charged Jerzy Urban with
insulting Pope John Paul II, Polish Radio reported on 7 February,
quoting the office's spokesman, Maciej Kujawski. The case concerns an
article published by Urban in his tabloid-format "Nie" weekly in
August. "Urban is charged with insulting the head of the Vatican, Pope
John Paul II, in an article entitled 'Sado-masochism on Wheels' in
which he went beyond the boundaries of legally permitted free-speech
criticism, he did not respect commonly accepted ethical rules of the
journalistic profession and socially accepted rules, and used
offensive, disrespectful, and sneering expressions which aimed at
defamation and humiliation of Pope John Paul II," Kujawski said. "The
dear old man.... You [better] stay in bed.... Munch some caviar, lick
at an ice cream.... Pick your nose or pick at your toes, whatever you
prefer. Don't make a horror show out of yourself," Urban wrote during
the pope's last trip to Poland. JM

The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) on 7 February again nominated its
honorary chairman, former Premier Vaclav Klaus, as its official
candidate in the third attempt to elect a successor to former President
Vaclav Havel, CTK reported. The third presidential vote is scheduled
for 28 February. All 26 ODS senators backed the nomination. MS

Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla on 7 February floated the name of former
Education Minister Jan Sokol as the possible presidential candidate of
his Social Democratic Party (CSSD), CTK reported. According to the
agency, Sokol said he will await the reaction of other parties to the
proposal before deciding whether to accept. Czech Television reported
that the Christian Democratic Union-People's Party and the Communist
Party of Bohemia and Moravia did not rule out a Sokol candidacy.
According to a survey carried out by CTK on 8 February, Sokol would not
win unanimous support among CSSD lawmakers -- reminiscent of former
CSSD candidates Jaroslav Bures and ex-Premier Milos Zeman (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 14 and 24 January 2003). The cabinet at its 10 February
meeting is expected to discuss a proposal by the junior coalition party
Freedom Union-Democratic Union to introduce direct presidential
elections. MS

Eleven of 26 deputies from the opposition Movement for a Democratic
Slovakia (HZDS) officially announced on 7 February that they will
launch a separate parliamentary group in the legislature, TASR and CTK
reported. The group is headed by former HZDS Deputy Chairman Vojtech
Tkac and wants to be registered as "independent." It also includes
former HZDS Deputy Chairman Rudolf Ziak, whose inclusion surprised
many. Tkac said that, for now, he is not seeking to set up a new
political party, but would do so under extreme circumstances. He urged
reform of the HZDS, saying his group's members would then return to its
ranks. But he added that he is "too much of a pessimist" to believe
that might happen. He reiterated that the HZDS, headed by former
Premier Vladimir Meciar, has been turned into an undemocratic party
based on "the principle of the leader." He also said his group intends
to be a "constructive opposition." As a result of the split, the HZDS
will cease to be the strongest group in the legislature. The senior
ruling Slovak Democratic and Christian Union is now the strongest
faction with 28 seats. MS

The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, Elmar
Brok, on 7 February said the speed with which some candidate countries
recently rallied to the U.S. position in the Iraqi crisis and
disregarded EU positions might ultimately endanger those candidates'
accession, TASR reported. Brok said the atmosphere in the EU toward
those invitees -- including Slovakia, whose premier, Mikulas Dzurinda,
belatedly joined the "appeal of the eight" earlier this month -- has
become "very nervous" (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 31 January 2003). Former
French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, who chairs the EU Convention
on the future of Europe, warned that the Maastricht treaty calls for EU
member countries to support without reservation the EU's joint foreign
policy and to refrain from steps that might diminish its effectiveness.
European Parliament speaker Patrick Cox meanwhile called for a special
EU summit to work out a joint position for members and candidate
countries toward the Iraqi crisis. MS

Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said in Bratislava on
7 February that his country wants the world to rely on diplomacy rather
than military force in dealing with Iraq, RFE/RL's Bratislava bureau
reported. Kharrazi was speaking after talks with his Slovak counterpart
Eduard Kukan. He said Iran wants to see a "coalition of peace" rather
than a "coalition of war" established to cope with the crisis. "We are
not going to support either side" in the event that a military conflict
breaks out, Kharrazi said after meeting with Premier Dzurinda,
according to CTK. Kharrazi also met with Economy Minister Robert
Nemcsics, saying there is room to improve bilateral cooperation --
singling out the auto industry, heavy industry, and possible Slovak
participation in the construction of power plants in his country. He
also met with parliamentary speaker Pavol Hrusovsky, according to TASR.
MS

The Culture Ministries of the four Visegrad states announced at a
meeting in Bratislava on 7 February that they have decided to establish
a Visegrad Award for Exceptional Cultural Activity, CTK reported. The
distinction is to be first awarded at their 10th meeting in the Czech
town of Telc in October. Pavel Dostal (Czech Republic), Waldemar
Dabrowski (Poland), and Rudolf Chmel (Slovakia) met in Levoca, eastern
Slovakia. Hungary was represented by Culture Ministry State Secretary
Laszlo Kocsi. The countries agreed to continue cooperation after their
likely accession to the EU in 2004. MS

The Metropolitan Court on 7 February rejected an application by
Civilians for Peace to stage a demonstration in downtown Budapest on 15
February against war with Iraq, Hungarian media reported the next day.
The court upheld a police decision to reject the proposed route for the
march that cited traffic concerns. Civilians for Peace, which comprises
more than 100 civic groups, will submit a new application that includes
a different route. Organizer Annamaria Artner said she finds it
shocking that her organization's request was turned down, while a
neo-Nazi group was issued a permit to stage a demonstration the same
day. Budapest police have said they will permit the Blood and Honor
Cultural Society to stage a demonstration on Kossuth Square on 15
February. Government spokesman Zoltan Gal told reporters on 9 February
that Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy expressed hope that Civilians for
Peace might stage their demonstration. MSZ

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) report on Hungary that was
published on 7 February on the Finance Ministry's website
(http://www.p-m.hu) warns that loose fiscal policy, along with a quick
increase in overall wages, last year limited the room for maneuver in
monetary policy and increased inflationary pressure. Wage costs also
increased simultaneously with the strengthening of the forint, which
was disadvantageous for exporters, making Hungary less attractive for
foreign investors. The report says that while the Hungarian National
Bank's response to the appreciation of the forint was appropriate,
avoiding the whole situation would have been preferable. The IMF
supports the government's aim of lowering the budget deficit to less
than 3 percent of GDP by the year 2005, and it suggests setting
spending limits, approved by parliament, three years in advance. MSZ

For the second time in less than two months, Montenegro held a
presidential election that was not valid because less than 50 percent
of the electorate cast ballots, international and regional media
reported. Unofficial figures put the turnout at about 47 percent,
compared to 45.9 percent on 22 December (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 23
December 2002). The main reasons for the low turnout were voter apathy,
a boycott of the ballot by the opposition, and harsh winter weather in
some mountainous areas. Many voters are reportedly disgusted by what
they regard as the failure of politicians visibly to improve living
standards. The governing coalition, moreover, has been tainted by a
scandal involving charges of human trafficking (see "RFE/RL Newsline,"
20 and 28 December 2002). The coalition's reputation was not enhanced
by persistent but unconfirmed recent reports that the government has
been pressuring state employees to vote. The coalition's candidate,
Filip Vujanovic, will become acting president by virtue of his position
as speaker of the parliament. It is widely expected that the 50 percent
clause will be removed from electoral legislation before a third vote
is taken in the coming weeks, as the OSCE again recommended on 10
February. PM

On 10 February, the joint Bosnian Presidency is scheduled to discuss
Bosnia's position on the declaration by the so-called Vilnius 10
countries in support of the U.S. position on Iraq, RFE/RL's South
Slavic and Albanian Languages Service reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline,"
7 February 2003). Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic recently endorsed the
declaration, but Sulejman Tihic, who is the Muslim representative on
the Presidency, objected, saying that Ivanic was expressing nothing
more than his own view and that of his ministry. Mirko Sarovic, who is
the Serbian representative on the Presidency and its current chairman,
called the meeting to discuss the matter. PM

The ambassadors of EU member states appealed on 8 February to
authorities in Bosnia to set up a unified customs administration and
value-added-tax system, RFE/RL's South Slavic and Albanian Languages
Service reported from Sarajevo. In Banja Luka, Republika Srpska
President Dragan Cavic warned against taking quick decisions and called
for the matter to follow a normal parliamentary course. Many in the
Republika Srpska fear that any surrender of these important revenues to
the central authorities would undermine the financial foundations of
the Bosnian Serb entity. PM

[59] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT'S ADVISER CALLS ON SERBS TO DEFEAT BOSNIAN CASE
IN THE WORLD COURT

Predrag Simic, who is foreign policy adviser to outgoing Yugoslav
President Vojislav Kostunica, told the Novi Sad daily "Dnevnik" that
Serbs risk being branded a "genocidal people" if Bosnia wins its
genocide case against Yugoslavia before the International Court of
Justice (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 4 February 2003). Simic stressed that
it is incumbent on the new state of Serbia and Montenegro to prove in
court that the 1992-95 conflict in Bosnia was a civil war and not a war
directed by Belgrade. He added that the conflict could have had a very
different outcome if more Serbs had gone into the army rather than
rejecting their mobilization orders from President Slobodan Milosevic.
PM

Officials of the UN civilian administration in Kosova (UNMIK) have
charged 11 ethnic Albanians with the murder of five members of the
Hajra family in Gllogovc in 2001, Reuters reported from Prishtina on 8
February. The father of the family was known as a "close collaborator
of the Serbs," the news agency added. Elsewhere, KFOR troops arrested
one Kosovar Albanian in southeastern Kosova in conjunction with a
grenade attack on 7 February that left four Serbs injured. In related
news, Serbian police in the Bujanovac area arrested 12 ethnic Albanians
on 8 February for illegal possession of weapons, Hina reported. Police
soon released five of the 12 for lack of evidence amid peaceful
protests in Bujanovac by some 1,000 local Albanians. The seven
remaining detainees were each sentenced to one month in prison on 9
February by the district court in Vranje. PM

At their fourth congress on 8 February, the ruling Social Democratic
Union (SDSM) re-elected Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski as party
leader, the private a1 television (www.a1.com.mk) reported. Crvenkovski
ran unopposed. In his acceptance speech, Crvenkovski called on party
members to steer clear of corruption, adding that no government or
party is immune to this problem. He said the country's biggest
challenge is interethnic relations. He added, "The fire has been
extinguished, but the problems still persist. The risk of new tensions
has been reduced, but it would be irresponsible to underestimate the
danger." Nikola Kjurkciev was elected as the party's new
secretary-general. The congress also approved changes to the party
statutes regarding several ideological and organizational questions. UB

Macedonia concluded a long-awaited agreement with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) in Skopje on 7 February to launch a $26 million
stand-by arrangement that is expected to pave the way for a further
$300 million in outside assistance, dpa reported. PM

[63] ROMANIA TO SEND TROOPS TO POSSIBLE ANTI-IRAQ MILITARY OPERATIONS?

The daily "Evenimentul zilei" reported on 8 February that U.S. and
Romanian military experts last week examined how Romania might
contribute to possible military action against Iraq. The daily said a
70-strong Romanian antichemical-, antibacteriological-, and
antinuclear-warfare unit might be dispatched to the Persian Gulf,
together with police forces. It added that the Supreme Council on
National Defense (CSAT), slated to meet on 10 February, will examine
the possibility of dispatching troops, together with granting U.S.
fighters overflight rights and the use of Romanian military airfields.
Gheorghi Prisacaru, chairman of the Romanian Senate's Foreign Policy
Committee, said on 8 February that parliament does not have to approve
overflight or landing rights, since those were granted on 19 September
in a resolution on Romania's participation in the international
campaign against terrorism, Mediafax reported. Meanwhile, Foreign
Minister Mircea Geoana discussed the Iraqi crisis on 7 February with
several U.S. officials, including deputy national security adviser
Stephen Hardey and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, Romanian
Radio reported the next day. MS

The cabinet on 7 February set up a special governmental team to analyze
developments vis-a-vis Iraq and their possible impact on Romania,
RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. The group includes Foreign Minister
Geoana, Defense Minister Ioan Mircea Pascu, and representatives of the
Foreign Intelligence Service and the Romanian Intelligence Service. The
group held its first meeting the same day, examining the U.S. request
for Romanian participation in possible military action. Prime Minister
Adrian Nastase said the authorities must be on the alert against
attempts to undermine national security and public order, adding that
the "relevant bodies" must make recommendations to the CSAT regarding
measures aimed at protecting sensitive and vital potential targets from
terrorist attack. Local authorities are also to take protection
measures. MS

The Foreign Ministry on 7 February issued a recommendation to Romanian
citizens to avoid travel to Iraq or neighboring states, RFE/RL's
Bucharest bureau reported. It also recommended that Romanian nationals
working in Iraq verify the validity of travel documents and make
preparations for possible evacuation on short notice. The ministry also
said measures have been taken to recall part of the Romanian Embassy's
staff in Baghdad. According to the private Antena 1 television channel,
over 100 Romanian citizens are now in Iraq and, in the event of
emergency, they might be evacuated via special flights. MS

Prime Minister Nastase announced on 7 February that the government has
cut 20 minister-secretary-of-state and three undersecretary-of-state
positions, RFE/RL's Bucharest Bureau reported. No fewer than 90
officials held that rank before the streamlining decision, according to
the private Antena 1 television channel. MS

Prime Minister Nastase said on 7 February that corruption in his
country is not necessarily limited to the involvement of Romanian
nationals, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau. Nastase said many foreign
investors have used ties to local politicians or
international-financial institutions to buy enterprises at prices well
below market value. In some cases, he said, enterprises worth $5
million were privatized for only $45,000. Nastase did not cite concrete
examples. MS

[68] ROMANIAN PRESIDENT SIDES WITH OPPOSITION ON AMENDING CONSTITUTION

President Ion Iliescu on 7 February met with representatives of the ad
hoc parliamentary commission crafting possible changes to the Romanian
Constitution and in several cases sided with opposition opinion,
RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. National Liberal Party (PNL) Deputy
Valeriu Stoica said he was "pleasantly surprised" that Iliescu backed
his party's position on the need to restrict parliamentary immunity.
Stoica also said Iliescu rejected a proposal by the ruling Social
Democratic Party (PSD) to grant the premier, rather than the president,
the right to dissolve parliament, agreeing that this would lead to an
inadmissible concentration of power in the premier's hands. Democratic
Party Deputy Emil Boc said Iliescu agrees with the Democratic proposal
for curbing "political immigration" from party to party by having the
constitution specify that lawmakers who change affiliation lose their
seats in parliament. MS

PNL Chairman Theodor Stolojan on 8 February told the party's Bucharest
branch that the party will strive to win 20 percent of the vote in the
parliamentary elections due in late 2004 or early 2005, adding that it
might forge an electoral alliance with the Democratic Party if surveys
indicate mutual advantages, Romanian Radio reported. PNL parliamentary
deputy Dinu Patriciu, a former PNL deputy chairman, countered that an
alliance with the Democrats would be "unnatural." He said the PNL
should "absorb" those Democrats who are close ideologically and let the
others migrate to the ruling PSD. Patriciu added that the PNL should
not create the impression that it is weak and needs somebody's help. He
also said the party should not "impose on itself" percentage targets
for the next elections. MS

[70] ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT TO GRANT AGRICULTURAL PLOTS TO ROMANY MINORITY

The government on 7 February approved a plan to grant plots of farmland
to members of the Romany community in the countryside. The program is
to be financed by the government, which will contribute the plots from
state-owned land or purchase them and grant property rights to eligible
individuals. MS

Paul Lambrino, son of Carol Mircea Grigore Lambrino, whom a Romanian
court recently recognized as the first legitimate son of King Carol II,
on 7 February submitted claims for property restitution, including the
Peles Castle in Sinaia, Mediafax reported on 7 February. "Prince" Paul,
who submitted the claims as representative of his ill father in London,
says Carol Mircea Lambrino is entitled to 62 percent of all claims for
property restitution submitted by former King Michael I because, in
addition to half of the properties that belonged to Carol II, he is
also the testamentary inheritor of Carol II's last wife, Elena Lupescu,
and of Carol II's brother, Prince Nicolae. The earthly remains of Carol
II and Elena Lupescu are to be reburied at the Curtea de Arges
Monastery on 14 February (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 19 December 2002 and
16 January 2003). MS

[72] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT SETS OUT CONDITIONS FOR IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH
ROMANIA

President Vladimir Voronin on 8 February told Romanian Radio that the
main condition for improved Moldovan-Romanian relations rests in
Bucharest's renouncing talk of the existence of "two Romanian states."
Voronin was speaking after a meeting in Moscow with Russian President
Vladimir Putin. Voronin said he and Romanian President Ion Iliescu
agreed at a meeting in Beirut in October on a series of measures aimed
at improving relations, which, he added, must be not "merely good, but
very good," befitting two neighboring countries. He said a second
condition for improving relations is concentrating attention on
economic rather than "all sorts of political or national problems." In
response to a question, he said Romania's likely membership of NATO can
only positively influence Moldovan-Romanian relations and will probably
speed up the ratification of the basic treaty between the two states.
MS

In a resolution on the Iraq crisis, the Central Committee of the ruling
Party of Moldovan Communists (PCM) on 7 February denounced what it said
are attempts to substitute the struggle against international terrorism
with "open aggression against other countries and peoples," Infotag
reported. The PCM said it opposes a possible strike against Iraq and
added that war cannot be an instrument for solving contentious issues.
Any forcible action against Iraq, it added, must be sanctioned by a UN
Security Council resolution. MS

Opposition parties on 7 February continued their picket of the
parliament, while both parliamentary opposition formations -- the
Braghis Alliance and the Popular Party Christian Democratic (PPCD) --
said they will also continue boycotting legislative sessions, RFE/RL's
Chisinau bureau reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 7 February 2003). The
organizers of the protests also said they will hold a rally in
Chisinau's central square on 23 February to mark two years since the
PCM obtained control of parliament in the wake of the December 2000
elections. That venue, however, has already been requested by a youth
organization close to the PCM, which intends to organize a rally
denouncing a possible military strike against Iraq. Meanwhile, an
enlarged forum of the Supreme Court on 7 February returned to the
Chisinau Court of Appeals for reexamination a 30 January decision in
which that court rejected the PPCD's appeal of the Central Election
Commission's refusal to register a PPCD-led drive for a referendum on
joining NATO and the EU, Flux reported. MS

Moldovan authorities on 7 February suspended the broadcasts of Russian
television channel Pervyi Kanal (formerly ORT), RFE/RL's Chisinau
bureau and international news agencies reported. Authorities cited the
failure by the channel to pay debts of over 3 million lei ($211,577)
dating back to 1999. The Russian channel's broadcasts, also known as
ORT-Moldova, include a number of locally produced programs, including
the popular "Moldovan News on the First Channel." ORT-Moldova Director
Anatol Golea said the real grounds for the decision might be political.
Golea was a counselor to former President Petru Lucinschi, and AP said
ORT-Moldova is considered close to the opposition Braghis Alliance,
whose chairman, Dumitru Braghis, was Moldovan premier under Lucinschi.
The alliance protested against the closure, calling it "just another
step toward a communist dictatorship." It pointed out that "under
different pretexts," authorities have already shut down broadcasts by
the Romanian Television's First channel, and withdrawn the license of
privately owned Romanian Stil-TV and the private "Voice of Bessarabia"
radio station. MS

Parliament on 7 February approved the government's decision to respond
positively to a U.S. request for support in the event of a military
operation against Iraq, mediapool.bg reported. The government's
decision was supported by the ruling coalition of the National Movement
Simeon II (NDSV) and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and
Freedoms (DPS), as well as by the conservative opposition United
Democratic Forces (ODS). The opposition Socialist Party (BSP) abstained
from the vote after the majority had outvoted a BSP proposal to link
the parliamentary approval to a second UN Security Council resolution.
The United States has asked Bulgaria to grant overflight rights and
allow the presence of U.S. troops and refueling aircraft on Bulgarian
territory (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 7 February 2003). UB

Bruce Jackson, the president of the U.S.-NATO Committee, said on the
sidelines of the 39th International Conference on Defense and Security
in Munich that problems within the judiciary and the secret services
could impede ratification of Bulgaria's NATO accession treaty by the
U.S. Senate, mediapool.bg reported on 9 February. Jackson insisted
Bulgarian support for the United States on Iraq will have a positive
impact on the Senate vote. He added, however, that Bulgaria must
resolve problems within its judiciary. Jackson said Prosecutor-General
Nikola Filchev, who is facing mounting domestic pressure to resign (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," 22 January 2003), is not the right person to head
the judiciary and should therefore be replaced. Jackson also criticized
government plans to make retired General Brigo Asparuhov head of the
National Intelligence Service (NRS) because of Asparuhov's alleged
involvement in the communist-era secret service and his contacts with
the KGB (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 18 December 2002). UB

Turkey handed over leadership of the International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) to Germany and the Netherlands at a 10 February ceremony
in Kabul, Ankara's Anatolia news agency reported. Afghan President
Hamid Karzai said that "Germany and Holland, [who] are taking over now,
I'm sure will do as good a job as was done by [Major] General [John]
McColl of the British command and as was done by [Major] General [Hilmi
Akin] Zorlu of the Turkish command; and I'm sure the new command headed
by Germany and Holland will contribute significantly to the peace and
security of Kabul," RFE/RL reported. Turkey assumed ISAF command on 20
June, and now the size of the Turkish presence will be reduced to 182
soldiers. German Defense Minister Peter Struck, who was at the
ceremony, said he favors a NATO assumption of ISAF leadership after six
months, ddp news agency reported. When he was attending the 39th
International Conference on Defense and Security in Munich on 8
February, however, Struck pledged to talk to his Spanish counterpart
Federico Trillo-Figueroa regarding a Spanish takeover of ISAF
leadership after the six-month German-Dutch command, Reuters reported.
BS

Afghanistan's new interior minister, Ali Ahmad Jalali, said in a 9
February interview with Iranian state radio that guaranteeing security
is the police department's most important job. Unfortunately, he said,
Afghan police do not have the equipment and facilities to do their
jobs. Jalali expressed confidence that the existing shortcomings will
be overcome soon. BS

A one-day joint Afghanistan-Iran-Turkmenistan border-guards conference
was held in Mashhad on 9 February, IRNA reported. Iskandar Momeni, the
police chief in Iran's Khorasan Province, said that with improved
security in Afghanistan, refugees can be repatriated, opium-poppy-crop
substitution can go ahead, and frontier security can be improved by
reducing drug trafficking. BS

President Karzai on 7 February met with visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign
Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh, expressed his gratitude for Iran's
contribution to Afghan reconstruction and called for the provision of
assistance to be accelerated, Iranian state radio's domestic service
reported. Aminzadeh handed over $1 million in cash, Iranian state
radio's external Pashtu service reported on 8 February. Aminzadeh also
met with Interior Minister Jalali and invited him to Tehran, Afghan
state television reported on 7 February, and he held other meetings
with Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, Defense Minister Mohammad
Fahim Khan, and Education Minister and presidential adviser on national
security Yunis Qanuni. BS

President Hojatoleslam Mohammad Khatami said in a 9 February meeting
with university teachers and officials from the Ministry of Science,
Research, and Technology that the Iranian government plans to exploit
uranium mines near Yazd and set up plants in Isfahan and Kashan to
extract uranium for electricity generation, IRNA reported. The Saghand
uranium-ore deposit in Yazd has an estimated reserve of 3,000-5,000
tons, and in October 1989 Iran announced that it had built a milling
plant near the mine. Dariush Forughi, who heads Iran's Center for
Research on Energy and Environment, said Iran has 12,000 tons of
uranium reserves, "Hamshahri" daily reported on 23 June. M.
Ghannadi-Maragheh, deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of
Iran, asserted in a paper for the World Nuclear Association Annual
Symposium 2002 that Iranian uranium exploration began in the 1970s and
has continued over the last two decades
(http://www.world-nuclear.org/sym/2002/ghannadi.htm). BS

Iranian Drug Control Headquarters head Ali Hashemi said on 8 February
that the police, judiciary, and Prisons Organization are participating
in a project to round up drug addicts who have been released, IRNA
reported. Hashemi said that other parts of the national
counternarcotics project include international cooperation,
private-sector involvement, reforming relevant laws, interdiction, and
treatment. Hashemi said 267,500 people were arrested for drug-related
crimes between March 2002-January 2003, and the drug haul of 113 tons
is 15 percent higher than for the same period one year earlier. BS

Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi met with Austrian President Thomas
Klestil on the evening of 7 February, IRNA reported the next day.
Kharrazi told Klestil that all Middle East countries are skeptical of
U.S. intentions in Iraq because "there are already clear signs that all
the U.S. politicians care for is achieving their own objectives,
ignoring even their closest allies' interests, humiliating the
international community, and issuing orders for all." Kharrazi said
Iran favors Iraqi disarmament but this should be a UN initiative. BS

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Gholamali Khoshru, Foreign Ministry
Political Director Amir Zamani-Nia, and Ambassador to Germany Seyyed
Shamseddin Khareqani arrived in Munich on 8 February to participate in
the international security conference, IRNA reported. A conference
spokesman had said Iranian Foreign Minister Kharrazi would be in
attendance (see "RFE/RL Iran Report," 27 January 2003), but conference
spokesman Klaus Treude said on 7 February that Kharrazi would not make
the trip, IRNA reported. BS

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri arrived in Tehran on 9 February in
response to an invitation from Kharrazi, Iraqi television and IRNA
reported. Iraqi television said they would discuss a possible U.S.
attack against Iraq and bilateral relations. Kharrazi told Sabri that
Iran opposes war and unilateralism, and he encouraged Iraq to cooperate
with UN inspectors, IRNA reported. From a bilateral perspective, the
two sides discussed prisoner-of-war and missing-in-action issues. Sabri
met with President Hojatoleslam Mohammad Khatami on 10 February, IRNA
reported. BS

U.S. officials said on 7 February that Bush administration officials
met with Iranian envoys in Europe the previous month to discuss Iranian
assistance for downed U.S. aviators and to ask Tehran to deny sanctuary
to fleeing Iraqi combatants, "The Washington Post" reported on 8
February. The U.S. envoys also reassured the Iranians that they would
not be targeted in a war for control of Baghdad. The Iran-U.S. meeting
reportedly coincided with a gathering on the future of Afghanistan.
Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Rear Admiral Ali
Shamkhani on 15 January had denied that there were any Iran-U.S.
contacts regarding a war in Iraq (see "RFE/RL Iran Report," 20 January
2003). "Iran does not have any relations with the Americans," he said
at the time. "No one in Iran is authorized to make such contacts.
Furthermore, Iran does not need this relationship." BS

Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in the first and second sermons
of the 7 February Friday prayers in Tehran decried the U.S. attitude
toward Iran and accused the United States of having ulterior motives in
the region, according to state radio. "Today, Iran is no longer willing
to accept the dictates of America or any other former master," he said.
"This is very important, and this is very bitter for them [Americans]."
Rafsanjani also said the U.S. faces an energy shortage, so, "they think
that acquiring energy from this region necessitates their military
presence." U.S. concerns about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD)
are just a ruse, according to Rafsanjani. "America is threatening to
use nuclear weapons itself. Even if takes control of Iraq and puts a
ruler in power over there, it will use the same instruments against
Iraq's neighbors.... What is even worse than Saddam's possession of
such weapons is the American presence in our region. Therefore, we
explicitly oppose America's coming here." BS

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said during an 8 February
ceremony for air-force officers and personnel, "The Americans are
seeking to control the abundant oil reserves of Iraq, secure the
interests of international capitalists and Zionists, and ensure [a]
presence in the sensitive Persian Gulf region," state television
reported. Khamenei dismissed U.S. concerns about Iraqi WMD. BS

Hizballah Secretary-General Sheikh Hasan Nasrallah on 7 February gave a
speech at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut that mirrored Tehran's official
view, Beirut's Al-Manar Television reported. "Any assistance to the
Americans, even by the enemies of Saddam Hussein, is not assistance
against Saddam Hussein. They would be working against the entire
nation; against Palestine and its Intifada; against Lebanon, Syria, and
against all the Arab and Islamic countries," he said. BS

[91] SOME FELLOW NATO MEMBERS REFUSE TO BACK MILITARY SUPPORT FOR
TURKEY

NATO members France, Belgium, and Germany have formally vetoed a
U.S.-proposed military-support package for Turkey in the event of a
U.S.-led strike against Iraq, AP reported on 10 February. Belgian
Foreign Minister Louis Michel said on 9 February that it is still too
soon for NATO to decide on such matters, adding, "It would signify that
we have already entered into the logic of war, that...any chance, any
initiative to still resolve the conflict in a peaceful way was gone,"
AP reported. Meanwhile, French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie
reportedly stated: "If Turkey was really under threat, France would be
one of the first at its side.... Today we don't feel that threat is
there," AP reported. A veto by any one NATO member would prevent the
alliance from considering any proposals to start planning military
support. KR

In response to the triple veto, Turkey invoked Article 4 of NATO's
founding treaty in an emergency session on 10 February. That article
states: "The parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of
any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence, or
security of any of the parties is threatened"
(http://www.nato.int/docu/basictxt/treaty.htm). The move by Turkey
marks the first time in the alliance's history that Article 4 has been
invoked, AP reported. KR

German Defense Minister Peter Struck has confirmed the existence of a
Franco-German plan to avert a U.S.-led war in Iraq, euobserver.com
reported on 10 February. The plan, reportedly called the "Mirage"
project, was detailed in the German weekly "Der Spiegel" on 9 February.
It calls for tripling the number of UN inspectors on the ground, as
well as the "placement of thousands of UN soldiers in Iraq to help
facilitate the inspection process," "Der Spiegel" reported. The plan
also calls for the use of French Mirage IV reconnaissance aircraft to
support the inspections from the air. "Der Spiegel" speculated that the
plan will be presented at the next Security Council meeting on Iraq,
which is scheduled for 14 February. However, French officials deny the
existence of such a plan. Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Bernard
Valero said, "France confirms that there is no Franco-German secret
plan on the disarmament of Iraq," AFP reported on 9 February. Valero
did say, however, that France is consulting with Germany over ideas
presented by French Foreign Minister Villepin to the UN Security
Council session on 5 February. KR

Responding to rumors of a Franco-German plan to disarm Iraq, U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell told ABC Television's "This Week"
program on 9 February, "If it is a plan that ignores continued Iraqi
noncompliance and says the solution is more inspectors, that doesn't
solve the problem. It is attacking the problem in the wrong way. It is
not the need for more inspectors; it is the need for Iraqi compliance."
Meanwhile, UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix told reporters on 10
February, "The principal problem is not the number of inspectors but
rather the active cooperation of the Iraqi side, as we have said many
times," Reuters reported. KR

Iraqi presidential adviser Amr Al-Sa'di briefed reporters on 9 February
at the conclusion of two days of talks between Iraqi officials and
UNMOVIC/IAEA representatives, Iraq Satellite Television reported. Asked
whether he felt Iraq has done enough to satisfy international demands,
including those of the United States, Al-Sa'di said, "If they [the
U.S.] claim that these things [weapons of mass destruction] exist, they
should come here and present evidence." Referring to U.S. Secretary of
State Powell's 5 February presentation to the UN Security Council,
Al-Sa'di asked, "Why do they not present the evidence they have to
UNMOVIC to find out [weapons sites] instead of presenting them to the
public and asking us to prove the opposite?" Al-Sa'di reiterated Iraq's
stance that it is difficult for Iraq to prove it does not have banned
weapons, adding, "As long as they [the U.S.] want to wage war based on
this evidence [presented by Powell], then the burden of proof falls on
them and not us." KR

Presidential adviser Al-Sa'di told reporters on 9 February that since 1
January Iraq has submitted 11 letters to the UN that he claims answered
all of the outstanding IAEA questions regarding Iraq's nuclear program,
Iraq Satellite Television reported. All that remains, Al-Sa'di
contended, is information "concerning an Iraqi person" who is outside
Iraq. "He will come back soon and that question will be clarified,"
Al-Sa'di added. Iraqi officials also handed over 24 documents
pertaining to all outstanding UMMOVIC questions, and Iraqi officials
proposed "some constructive ideas" as to how Iraq and UNMOVIC can
resolve these questions through "joint work." The Iraqi delegation also
submitted the findings of the inquiry commission that was set up to
investigate the original 12 empty chemical warheads found at
Al-Ukhaydir Munitions Stores (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 17 January 2003).
Al-Sa'di added that a second committee has been established to search
for documents to substantiate Iraq's claims regarding the destruction
and cessation of weapons-of-mass-destruction programs. He further noted
that the issue of U-2 overflights was not resolved, but stated that "we
believe a formula can be reached" to resolve the issue, adding that
Iraqi security officials and Air Defense Command experts are now
examining ways that Iraq can guarantee the safety of UN
aerial-surveillance planes. KR